2016 Record: 37-16 (>68%)
The Pick:
Bills +3 (-115) Over Steelers
The first question will be, "Why take the points if you think the Bills will win?" For the same reason I did Army today: They are total fu**ups with their stupidity at the wrong times (you saw the Army turnovers today/ You saw the Bills against the Raiders in the 4th last week) so this added insurance in a line that should be a pick-um makes me feel very comfortable. I like feeling comfortable. A comfortable capper is a less-stressed capper and one that doesn't agonize the entire game. Which makes them a better capper. Which makes them enjoy capping and ensures they'll cap into the future.
The line is outrageous. Who is steaming this line under these circumstances? I'll tell you who, Anti-Rex bettors...squares and sharps alike. And I'm here to also tell you he'll win us this game.
1. T-Rex (Total Rex) angle combined with the Career on the Line angle.
You get it all here folks. T-Rex is one of my most unpopular angles. I've never called it that but it stands for "Rex will get us the win." Why don't they like this angle? Because they don't like Rex, or his brother for that matter.
And I understand that 100%. He's about a .500 winning-percentage coach over his career. Lost guys a lot of money on this site. Me? He's made me a boatload. Him and Darrell Hazell on Purdue. Darrell is gone forever. We profited off him while we have him. We have to do the same with Rex here. It's all about situational capping. And the situation here is as good as it gets: Career on the Line (COTL)
I LOVE the Job On The Line Angle for coaches on the hot seat. But Career on the Line is so much stronger.
And this is it for Rex. This is his career. He has to make the playoffs. If they don't make the playoffs, they have to get rid of him and his brother and start to rebuild. He knows this. 100% he knows this.
Many here will say he's already eliminated from the playoffs. That doesn't matter. What matters is what he and his players think. And here is what he is selling them right now (and he is the NFL's best salesman): We'll beat the Browns and Jets for certain so we are really 8-6. This win will put us at 9-6. Think about how much better that sounds in the players eyes.
Folks, if they get to the final game of the season with a flicker of playoff hope, you can cut all the players legs off and Rex will have them beat the Jets even if they are in wheelchairs like Tom Cruise in Born on the 4th of July. He's not losing that game. That is the Game of the Year if Denver complies (as does some other teams to leap frog). He will turn them to dust and ash and then he'll collect all the ash and unrinate on it. There is no way he'll lose that game with the playoffs and career on the line. Let's hope for that game.
What matters is what HE thinks and what his players think NOT what you think about the Bills and the playoffs, and they still think they can make it, making nothing less than a win here against Pittsburgh acceptable.
He will throw the kitchen sink at them defensively. You will see it all. All the blitz packages, surprises, creative Rex. It will ALL be here in this game. Because it's his career. Pittsburgh has a hell of task in front of them because of this. Defensively they should go nuts. Blood should be on that field. Players will bleed for Rex if he convinces them. He will. It will be Total Rex.
Unpopular? Sure. And I've carried wheelbarrows of money away from the window because of it with Rex being responsible for that. So suit yourself on this one. I'm just putting it out there!